Economy

A new study of Northeast Ohio’s manufacturing sector shows the most common concern of company owners is where they can find skilled workers, especially Millennials.  

For the third time in recent months the U.S. has won an International Trade Commission anti-dumping case against foreign steel makers. 

Democratic Congressman Tim Ryan of Warren applauded the move as a positive step in what he called the fight to ‘unstack’ the deck of unfair trade practices by countries that subsidize their steel companies. 

Republican Senator Rob Portman pointed out that this ruling is especially significant because it involves a new and broader range of countries

Gov. John Kasich says manufacturing is still important to Ohio, but high-tech is the future. Kasich was the keynote speaker at  tonight's annual meeting of the Greater Cleveland Partnership, the area’s chamber of commerce. 

Beachwood-based aluminum products maker Aleris Corp. has been purchased by a Chinese company in a $2.3 billion deal. Aleris officials say the purchase gives the company a better opportunity to grow.

Camp Ravenna is one of three locations under final consideration for a national missile defense base.  A $3.6 billion economic infusion, 2,500 construction jobs and 850 permanent ones are at stake, so Ohio’s congressional delegation is stepping up a joint-effort to push for the project.

Bi-partisan

Lawmakers who failed to stop a bill banning communities from creating local hiring quotas are pleased the city of Cleveland is taking the issue to court. 

Since it was proposed, Democrats such as Rep. Alicia Reece of Cincinnati have battled a law that prohibited cities from requiring a percentage of workers on public construction projects to be local residents.

The 32nd annual conference of the Airport Minority Advisory Council is in Cleveland this week, encouraging airport officials from around the country to seek diversity in their staffing and partnerships.

The airport council chose Cleveland for this year’s meeting due to the city’s economic opportunity and increasing number of start-ups. Council CEO Krystal Brumfield says she hopes that participants leave with a renewed focus on what’s available in the airport industry.

A new study finds that most of the housing funded by Ohio’s Low Income Housing Tax Credit program is in poor and racially segregated areas.

The study, from the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland and the Housing Research and Advocacy Center looked at six metropolitan areas in Ohio, including Cleveland and Akron.

The Ohio Housing Finance Agency, who runs the tax-credit program, says the report leaves out important details.

A month ago, Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport saw daily passenger service return for the first time in nearly two decades. ADI, a specialty airline, had gotten approval to fly to Chicago’s O’Hare International. 

But today, the regional airport owner, the Western Reserve Port Authority, which had been subsidizing a trial period for the daily service, decided it could no longer do so.

John Moltinero is executive director of the authority.

Another step has been taken in building the region’s first “cracker.” That’s a processing plant that can turn ethane from Ohio’s Utica Shale into chemicals used by the polymer, plastics, and paint industries. 

Royal Dutch Shell said in June it will go ahead with the construction of the $5 billion cracker just east of the Ohio line in Beaver County, Pa. This month the company is starting to acquire right-of-way for a pipeline from the Utica shale hubs in Harrison County to the plant.

An Ohio based lawn care company that makes products to kill weeds has made an unusual purchase.

Marysville based Scotts Miracle Gro makes products to kill weeds. But recently, a subsidiary of Scotts purchased a Dutch company that makes products which are commonly used to grow marijuana.

Earlier this month, it spent $136 million for a company that makes hydroponic products, including grow lights, which are often used to raise vegetables and plants, including marijuana, indoors.

A group of state lawmakers will be studying jobless benefits to come up with ideas for their colleagues to consider when they come back to work after the November election. 

Ohio has paid back the $1.4 billion it borrowed from the federal government during the recession when the fund that paid benefits to jobless workers went broke. But Republican Rep. Kirk Schuring of Stark County says the crisis isn’t over.

“When you’re in a situation like this, it begs the question: What must we do to reform our system?”

A five-year grant is helping a local manufacturing network create apprenticeship programs in Ohio and Pennsylvania.

The $3 million grant from the Department of Labor was given to the Greater Oh-Penn Apprenticeship Network.

The network will create a model for manufacturing apprenticeships and reimburse local companies who use it.

Jessica Borza, the coordinator of the program, says it will help companies who have doubts about apprenticeships.

The first half of this year’s shipping season has been slower on the St. Lawrence Seaway compared to the same period last year.  Seaway officials say the overall amount of cargo has dropped 11 percent, led by iron ore and coal. And as WKSU’s Kevin Niedermier reports, the Port of Cleveland has seen some of this downturn.

Foreign-born residents make up just over 4 percent of Ohio’s population, and immigration proponents say that number needs to grow. A new study released today highlights the economic contributions immigrants make statewide. 

Akron-Canton Regional Airport is getting another national airline. Starting in November, Spirit Airlines will offer daily non-stop service to four locations in Florida, and in 2017 the low cost air-carrier will add seasonal service to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Spirit vice president

Mark Kopczak was at Akron-Canton Tuesday to make the announcement. 

New data from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services shows that Ohio is behind the national average for job growth since the 2008 recession.

The report shows that Ohio’s job growth is at 1.4 percent - that means adding only 77,400 jobs since the recession.

This number is well below the national average of 4.2 percent.

Policy Matters Ohio researcher, Hannah Halbert says the report also reflects on Ohio’s employment and unemployment rates.

Downtown Cleveland could be getting a high-end outlet mall. Negotiations are underway between a developer and local officials over city-owned property between Burke Lakefront Airport and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. 

Cashing in on business from the Republican National Convention in Cleveland is, in many cases, all about where the miles of security barriers stand. WKSU’s Kevin Niedermier reports on how some downtown restaurants are faring.

For months ahead of the RNC, hotels were booked as far as sixty miles out from Cleveland. Then, with Donald Trump becoming the presumptive nominee, some Republicans who don’t support him opted not to attend.

No-shows

Joe Savarise of the Ohio Hotel & Lodgings Association says there have been cancelled reservations; but there’ve been replacements too.

Changes

The Ohio Housing Finance Agency has awarded more than $100 million to land banks in the state to help demolish abandoned and blighted homes.  The funds are going to 18 counties as part of its Neighborhood Initiative Program.

Program Manager Holly Swisher says that helps residents avoid foreclosure, since they’re likely to stay in their homes longer.  And after demolition, there are a number of options for re-using the property.

A new study looks at the impact of Akron’s influx of immigrants since the turn-of-the-millennium.

The report shows that Akron’s population decline has been slowed with the arrival of more than 2,000 immigrants in the city between the year 2000 and 2013.

Four northeast Ohio economic development groups are working together on an additive manufacturing “map” for the region. 

Barb Ewing of the Youngstown Business Incubator sees northeast Ohio as a world leader in Additive manufacturing—utilizing fast-evolving technologies like 3-D printing, adaptive coatings nd super-precision tool making.